Drain Poem by Prafulla Kumar Panda

They gave birth to town
and town gave birth to me
being aware of my birth
and the divine karmic faith
i'm never hesitant
rather love to serve the million
ever since I was born

in spite of all my strength
like a king in chess
i'm checkmated often;
as I don't have an option
i rather slouch on
with the belly-ache
which I suffer time and again
like a juvenile glutton

i don't sever the umbilic of trust
between me and my men
and true to my words, I always prize them,
and my love for them,
is according to my bond; nor more nor less
i use all my efforts and strength
and, from morning, whatever is offered,
i readily carry in my womb
to entombdead body of the orphans,
feces of the worm-bellied men
and the bastards,
to give their mothers a decent womb

i move on
although I know, for me,
the sun will never rise
and its rays will hardly fall
and my shadow will never follow me
to where I maintain the geography of them
and their histories I darken,
i'm ready to bury their past
to land them in a safe haven

with a harlot's acclaim,
i thrive on,
and will thrive a thousand years to come
a harlot in her heart, if holds likeness and love,
can she wear bangles and vermillion?
day is different from the night
where the bright fails to outstrip the night.

©Prafulla Panda, India
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